Thanks to one of my best friends from high school, Anisah, I have a love of Indian and Pakistani food that does not extend to the rest of my immediate family. I have very fond memories of going to her house after school and smelling the savory spices, meats and rice, and of trying my very first taste of goat biryani. In college, I was lucky to have a good friend who also loved the exotic flavors of the Asian Subcontinent, and we frequented a restaurant in Providence aptly named "India". There I learned to love the fiery hot Chicken Vindaloo. On a field trip to New York City I had the most delicious (and the hottest) Thai yellow curry. And during my month long trip to the UK, I fell in love with Chicken Tikka Masala.
But these days, married and back in New Jersey, I find I occasionally crave those flavors but have trouble finding someone to enjoy them with. One of the dishes I really missed but had not yet mastered were samosas: spicy vegetables wrapped in a packet of dough and deep fried to perfection (unless you get them on a buffet). So I decided to suck it up and make them, especially since Yom Kippur has granted me a 3 day weekend. So I scoured the interwebs for a recipe that was not overly complicated and could be made using ingredients I had mostly on hand. Luckily, I found one at http://www.samosa-recipe.com (which, at the time of this writing, seems to be down). I adapted the recipe they provided to my taste and to what I had on hand. So here it is, at long last, vegetarian samosas!
Vegetable Samosas
- · 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes.
- · 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced finely
- · 2 cloves garlic, minced
- · 1 onion, chopped finely
- · 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
- · 1 TBSP ghee (or vegetable oil)
- · 3 TSBP curry powder
- · 1/4 TSP cayenne pepper
- · salt & pepper to taste
- · 1/3 cup water
- · 1/2 pkg. of phyllo pastry
- · Oil for frying
Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a large sauté pan, add the onion and garlic, stir in the curry powder and the cayenne pepper and fry until softened. Add the potatoes, carrots, frozen vegetables, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well coated. Turn the heat to low, add the water and cover. Allow the mixture to cook for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the water has evaporated off. Turn off the heat, leave the cover on, and allow to cool, about 1 hour.
After the mixture has cooled, prepare your oil for frying. I used a medium sized saucepan and filled it about halfway, or about 4" up. Hey, I didn't measure okay? I also didn't use a thermometer. I tested the oil with a leftover piece of phyllo, dampened with a tiny bit of water. When it bubbled vigorously, the oil was hot enough.
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| http://lldzines.com/spanakopita/folded.htm |
Cut the phyllo pastry in half lengthwise. Take two or three sheets of phyllo, and put a heaping teaspoon of filling on one end. Fold the phyllo gently according to the above diagram, putting a little bit of water on the last little flap with your finger. Set aside until done the rest.
When all of your samosas are ready to go, drop them into the hot oil two or three at a time. Fry until a deep golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Enjoy immediately!
Results
These were definitely the crispiest, moistest samosas I've ever had. I might even say these were top 3 for the most flavorful too. The phyllo dough here was the kicker. After tasting deep fried phyllo dough I must find more items to stuff into this delicious pastry! The samosas were crispy and buttery on the outside, and on the inside the potatoes gave the savory filling an almost creamy texture. The first bite yielded a sweetness that was slowly replaced by curry flavor and finally a mild heat in the back of the throat.
Verdict
I ate five of them. Unfortunately I have to share them with my husband. =( (AKA they were pheNOMenal!)
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